The Beautiful Letdown
by babii.girl.flying.solo
Summary: Senior Year is going to be very difficult for Troy and Gabriella, since they are planning on going to two seperate colleges. But they love each other, and love can withstand anything.. right? TxG.


Gabriella lay her head down gently on Troy's chest, softly closing her mocha brown eyes to memorize this feeling. They were laying in the backyard, staring up at a dark, starry sky. It was a beautiful night, the warm midsummer weather with a slight cool breeze. Gabriella could feel the slow, steady heartbeat of Troy through his blue v-neck. "This could be the last time feeling like this," she spoke quietly, thoughtfully, almost hesitantly.

Troy's warm, large hands traveled to her dark brown curls, where he ran his fingers lightly through them, the silkiness of her hair cool on his own hands. "I wish it would all just slow down," he whispered back. He knew those words. Both of them did. They had been spoken before, at the beginning of Senior year, when Gabriella had been offered the Freshman's Honor Program at Stanford. She had come back to Albuquerque for the summer, but now she had to go back again. Troy was staying here. It was something he had to do.

"I'm gonna leave tomorrow," Gabriella said, picking her head up, her brown eyes locking with his piercing baby blue. "I wish you could come with me."

The tender look Troy gave her almost melted her heart, but he let out a soft sigh. "I just can't."

Gabriella nodded, keeping the tears from forming in her beautiful eyes. It wasn't goodbye… yet. She swallowed hard and lay her head back down on Troy's chest, feeling his breath hot on the back of her neck. Troy's hand found hers, intertwining her soft, small fingers with his own firmly, showing that he didn't want to let her go.

College was going to tear them apart. They promised they'd keep in touch, but they both knew that would be hard. College was a lot to handle, and they were used to seeing each other every day. It was one of those things that had been like that for two years, and it seemed out of the norm to change that. But it was going to change. It would have to. Nothing was going to slow down for them, time wouldn't just stop in this moment forever.

Troy closed his eyes, inhaling Gabriella's scent; vanilla. That was a scent he had grown so familiar to over the past two years, another thing he was sure never to forget. Vanilla. It was one of the most beautiful scents ever, and it was Gabriella's natural smell, something he loved. A lot. Vanilla. Her innocent mocha eyes were another thing he'd always remember. That was just another. There were many. Her lips, her smile, her laugh, the way she walked, the way she talked, everything about her. Troy was positive her flawless face would always be burned into the back of his mind, always there.

Gabriella was the only thing in Troy's life that was right, in all he'd done. She was the last thing he thought about before he went to sleep, and the first thing that crossed his mind when he awoke in the mornings. When he wasn't with her, it was like his life was on pause. He could function normally without her, he just chose to be with her in most of his free time, because she was all he needed. "All I want is to find an easier way," Troy whispered. He didn't know what to say. It was really hard.

"Then come with me," Gabriella said, sitting up.

Troy sat up too, running a hand through his hair. "You know I can't."

Gabriella's eyes stung with hurt for the first time in a while. "Why not, Troy? You told me, a million times already, I was what you wanted. Why does that have to change now?"

"It doesn't!" Troy said, pleading for her to understand. "It will never change. You're what I want, what I need. You're everything to me, Gabriella, and you know that. All I know," Troy swallowed hard, "is that I want to stay with you as long as possible.." His voice cracked.

Gabriella nodded, letting her tears roll slowly down her cheeks. "Why does every moment have to be so hard?"

Troy chewed on his lower lip. "It doesn't."

Gabriella looked appalled, puzzled. "Does that mean goodbye?" she said, her voice barely audible from even where Troy was sitting, inches away.

"Should it?" Troy spoke gently.

Gabriella's lower lip quivered. She untwined her hands from Troy's and pushed herself to her feet, blinking rapidly to keep more tears from flowing over.

"Where are you going?" Troy asked.

"I've ran out of goodbyes," Gabriella said. "My heart can't take anymore." She leaned down and caressed his soft cheek. He automatically leaned into her touch. "I love you, Troy Alexander Bolton. Forever and ever." And with those last words, she ran across the back yard, out of the wooden gate, and into the darkness of the night.

Troy was at a loss for words, which was very rare in his case. After a few bitter moments of cold silence. "Goodbye, Gabriella," he managed to croak out. He rose to his own numb feet and walked into his house. He heard the television on in the living room, signaling his parents were still awake. He didn't have the strength or courage to tell them goodnight, so he walked carefully up the stairs and to his room, closing his bedroom door quietly behind him. Troy flopped down on his bed, letting out a loud sigh. He wasn't crying. Not a tear would he shed, because crying would be stupid. The best thing was to reminisce.

Troy glanced over at the nightstand near his bed. There was a flower-framed picture of the beautiful Gabriella, wearing a flowy midsummer night dress, made of silky material. Her hair was natural, long dark brown spiral curls that framed her face perfectly. Troy could almost smell the vanilla radiating from the picture. Oh, the things he'd miss about her. But truth be told, it was really for the best. Once college started, it would be hard to keep up a relationship, because they would have rare free time, and she was over a thousand miles away. "I'll visit on holidays," Troy remembered her telling him, in her thick angel-sweet voice. "And most weekends. As much as I can."

"I never thought I'd say it," Troy whispered to no one in particular. "But I'm fine without you."


End file.
